Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains (MRSA) have become increasingly prevalent as nosocomial pathogens, especially in
burn wounds. MRSA constituted 38% of all S. aureus isolates in our 25-bed
burns unit despite the utilization of a combination of 1%
silver sulfadiazine and 0.2%
chlorhexidine as topical
therapy.
Mupirocin, a new
antibiotic, has proved in vitro and in vivo to be highly effective in the treatment of MRSA
infections. A prospective clinical trial with
mupirocin ointment in MRSA
burn wound infection was untertaken. Forty-five children with 59 discrete
burn wounds and from whom MRSA were isolated were treated with 2%
mupirocin ointment under
occlusive dressings, applied twice daily for 5 days. The average burned area treated was 8% (range, 2 to 20%) of the total body surface area. The
burn wounds were assessed clinically and bacteriologically daily.
Mupirocin eliminated MRSA in all 59
wounds treated, with the maximum therapeutic response seen within 4 days. In three
wounds, gram-negative organisms persisted after 5 days of topical
therapy. Treatment was well tolerated by all children. We recommend that
mupirocin in its present
polyethylene glycol base should be used only on a selective basis, when current prophylactic topical
therapy has failed to control MRSA
infection in
burns of less than 20% of the total body surface area, and that it should be applied only for a limited period of 5 days. The safety and the efficacy of
mupirocin in
burns exceeding 20% of the total body surface area need to be established.